In 2009, Cerno was founded by three lifelong friends in Laguna Beach, California. Since the company’s inception, Cerno’s principals have embraced LED technology. Their line of modern light fixtures celebrates LEDs and showcases how the technology can enhance and even inspire a fixture’s form.

Like many of us, you’ve probably invested a whole lot into the design of that beautiful home of yours. During the day, it looks absolutely cozy and inviting—and that magic shouldn’t fade away when the sun goes down.

Cool. Sculptural. Unique. Functional. Modern ceiling fans are anything but typical. In fact, they may not even look like ceiling fans at first. Just like with lamps, fans have moved beyond classic designs due to technology advancements. Gone are the days of having to choose between compelling design or function.

Once upon a time, Egbert-Jan Lam of Burojet Design Studio designed a series of pendant lights made out of lasercut paper. A few years later, he was inspired to do the same thing with translucent and richly grained wood veneer. The result is the textural Stitches Collection for Lzf Lamps, available exclusively at YLighting.

Q: My front porch light barely puts off enough light to get my key into the lock. I’m ready to replace it, but how can I tell if it’s going to be as bright as I need?

A: When it comes to the front stoop, you want to have enough light to move and function safely. You should be able to walk up the drive with ease, spot your keys in your handbag and create enough illumination that nefarious characters don’t see the space as an invitation.

Days are longer, temperatures are higher and entertaining outdoors is lasting long into the night. To keep the party going after the sun goes down, you need to add light to your outdoor space. So what’s an easy way to add light that still packs a big design punch? String lights!

During my evening walk around my neighborhood each night, I’m always struck by what a big difference there is between houses lit by merely a porch light and houses with full-scale exterior illumination.

During our recent trip to Milan Design Week, we took a little detour to Rubí, Spain (a suburb of Barcelona), to tour the studio of Xavier Mañosa, one of the top designers for the Barcelona-based lighting brand, Marset. Rarely do we get the opportunity to see our brands’ designers at work in their personal studios. So it was exciting for us to experience in person a space that regularly produces intriguing and artistic ceramic pieces.

Lighting designers and architects pay close attention to what materials are incorporated into a lighting fixture, as well as how each material is used to help curate a specific look and feel. Different materials perform better than others when used for different design purposes, thanks to the way factors such as chemistry and workability affect light play, texture, suspension, weight distribution, and more.

Transparency is hardly a new idea when it comes to design, particularly modern design. Shimmering and bright, this see-through aesthetic has been emblematic of ultra-modern, almost futuristic, style. For nearly two decades now, the trend has been to look backward rather than forward, with styles reminiscent of the 1950s-70s.